


Sincerity

by antimorston



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: First Kiss, Insecurity, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, kind of alluded but not really?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-30 21:26:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19035892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antimorston/pseuds/antimorston
Summary: After Arthur confessed his love for Charles, things got a bit awkward.





	Sincerity

Arthur clearing his throat ripped Charles from his thoughts. “Charles,” he said, his voice dark and angry, “stop lookin’ at me with all that _pity_.”

Charles startled, starting to drop his gaze before he decided to hold firm. Something had snapped in him, but it didn’t feel _bad._ It was like he had been wound up for so, so long, and all of a sudden the tension was gone. Wound tighter with the words _I gotta talk with you_ and even more so when Arthur had pulled his hat low after his confession, as if he had been both the victim and perpetrator of a vicious joke at the same time, Charles was on edge. But the way Arthur was acting now, as if he had spoken in the way that Charles feared most, _sincerely_ , took all of the tension away, and Charles couldn’t help but recoil at the lashback. “Come over here and make me,” he answered finally, voice hard but holding no bite. As if he was challenging Arthur, not to a fight but to prove he wasn’t fucking around when he had said…what he said.

Arthur dropped his head with a sigh, starting to stand. Charles was up and crossing their camp before he knew what was happening, grabbing Arthur by the wrist. He flinched, hard, his head turning to watch Charles’s face. “ _What?_ ” He hissed, the anger dissipating and being replaced by embarrassment.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Charles said. “Sit back down,” he requested. “Please.”

Arthur huffed and climbed back onto the log next to where Charles settled himself, head tilted low and away from the huntsman. Charles was the logical one. He was the half of their pair that had the brain. He could read Arthur like a book, cover to cover. _Usually._

“I should’ve believed you,” he murmured, “I thought you were trying to rile me up.” Arthur turned to look at him in disbelief, eyes sparkling with the threat of tears.

“Why would I do that to you?” He asked. He was hurt, clearly, looking like a dog who’d just been kicked by a loyal, loving master. _Charles_ had caused that. He had ignored Arthur at his most vulnerable, but he was vulnerable himself. Unable to believe that Arthur had those feelings.

Charles sighed and looked toward the flames. “I didn’t believe that you would feel that way about _me._ My heart has been yours since we went hunting out in Colter, and I thought maybe I slipped up and you finally caught on.” He kept his voice low, trying not to betray its quivering. “I’m not deserving of a man like you,” he added as a broken afterthought.

“Charles,” Arthur whispered. He was less hurt now, that twang of pain and embarrassment in his voice morphing into sadness. “I ain’t ever lied to you.” He moved closer, a blur in the corner of Charles’s vision. Charles looked back to him, watching as his hand lifted slowly, as if waiting for permission. He leaned forward, and Arthur placed his palm against Charles’s cheek. “I’ll never lie to you, long as I live. Swear to God above and Satan below.”

Charles felt a tearful smile twitch onto his lips as he closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

Arthur paused for a beat, taking in a slow breath. “I wouldn’t’ve believed you if you was confession’ to me,” he said, “so I understand.” His other hand came to the back of Charles’s neck, and he was suddenly being drawn in until their foreheads were touching. Charles left his eyes closed, the apprehension crackling in his veins finally smoothing. “I’ll make sure you believe you’re deservin’, alright? Because if either of us ain’t deservin’ of the other, it would be me.”

Charles opened his eyes, only to see Arthur’s own half lidded and aimed at the ground. “That’s not tr-”

He was cut off by Arthur pressing their lips together, a welcome but unexpected action. Charles hummed, surprised, and lifted his hands from his sides to cradle Arthur’s face and hold him close. When they broke apart, Arthur smiled at him. “Don’t you try to argue that again,” he warned. “I could keep this up all night.”

Charles hummed and closed his eyes again. “Kissing me or being insecure?”

“I’m pretty talented at both.”

**Author's Note:**

> decided to try out some dialogue prompts, this one was “come over here and make me”  
> might post a continuation or make these prompts a series on my [tumblr](https://transcharthur.tumblr.com/) but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
